In voice messaging networks, to provide name confirmations when a user dials a destination number through a touch-tone telephone keypad, the local system must query its data base to determine if name stored therein correspond to the given numeric input received from the telephone keypad. Typically, a touch-tone telephone keypad includes letters such as "A", "B", or "C", which each correspond to numeric digit two on the keypad. Also, numeric digit three is used to designate the keypad letters "D", "E", or "F", respectively, with other numeric digits being used to designate other of the letters on the keypad, in a similar manner. Accordingly, a user may dial combinations of letters on a keypad for designating a particular name, with the letters selected being outputted from the keypad as a combination of numeric digits, which are translated into possible name combinations in the voice mail system. When a site or recipient receives the numeric coding, the receiving site searches its data base to obtain possible names that are defined by the numeric input. If a name on site is identified, the associated extension is connected by the system to the calling party, or a message is taken if the extension does not answer, and possibly a message from the extension may be given to the calling party, for example. Also, for example, a subscriber in a voice messaging system, who does not know another subscriber's number, can call that subscriber by the subscriber's name, or can address a message to another subscriber by that subscriber's name.
In a system known as PhoneMail (registered trademark of Rolm Systems, Santa Clara, Calif.), each subscriber must first be assigned a unique mailbox in the system. Thereafter, the subscriber or the supervisory administrator records the subscriber's name header in association with the mailbox. Accordingly, each mailbox has a unique name and extension associated with it. When a caller wants to address a message to another user, either local or remote, or transfer to such a user, the caller typically provides a numeric name. If a name match occurs during a search process, the PhoneMail operates to play the recorded name for that subscriber mailbox, for permitting the user or caller to hear a voice confirmation of the name he has inputted into the system for purposes of name confirmation.
In prior PhoneMail voice messaging systems, System Administrators (SAs) have to manually add a network profile into their associated local system for each remote subscriber to be permitted access thereto. After adding the network profile, the SA must then record the name headers for the newly added network profiles. The procedure for doing so is very time consuming and cumbersome. For example, to initiate the procedure the SA must obtain the remote subscriber names and their respective extensions (telephone extension numbers). Next, the SA must add one mailbox for each remote subscriber. If any mistakes are made in inputting this data, the SA most likely will not become aware of such a mistake until a subscriber sends a message to the mailbox associated with the error. Also, after inserting all of the mailboxes into the system, the SA also has to voice record the name headers associated with each mailbox, which typically takes considerable time. Also, if the SA mispronounces any of the names, communication problems may result with subscribers in the system.
The present inventor recognized that there is a need in the art for providing a method and apparatus for permitting an SA to send local subscriber names, extensions, and associated name headers to remote sites for automatic reading into the data base at the remote site. Such an automatic transfer of this data will insure data base consistency, and proper vocalizing of the propagated name headers. In addition, such an automated system will permit a new mailbox to be added to a local data base without a remote SA having to be informed of the addition. The local SA will have the ability to propagate the network profile corresponding to the new mailbox to the site of the remote SA, and other selected sites.